Foundation awards $153K in grants

Pickleball courts, aid to fire survivors, pet food storage and rides to medical appointments are just some of the projects that are receiving funding from Wayne County Foundation.

Seventeen local organizations received a total of $153,050 through WCF’s second grant cycle of the year and other funds.

At least three of the selected projects — Communities in Schools site coordination at Western Wayne Schools, more pickleball courts at Golay Community Center and equine therapy at Brighter Path — are in Cambridge City.

“Wayne County is made better through the hard work of our local nonprofit organizations,” said Executive Director Rebecca Gilliam in a news release.

Grant Cycle II recipients

• American Red Cross of Indiana: $7,500 to support immediate, basic needs and to offer ongoing recovery casework and assistance to families who have been displaced or affected by house fires in Wayne County.
• Animal Care Alliance: $4,250 to buy an on-site storage unit for pet food donations.
• Brighter Path Inc.: $7,500 to provide equine assisted therapy to low-income families for reduced costs.
• Communities in Schools of Wayne County: $15,000 to support the continuation of the Site Coordination program in Wayne County.
• Every Child Can Read, Inc.: $15,000 to support the expansion of ECCR’s programs with the purchase of books for children in Wayne County through currently established programs: Rx for Reading, Books at Birth (Reid Health) and K-Ready.
• Girls, Inc. of Wayne County: $15,000 to provide funding for a fence for the organization’s side yard, creating a second outdoor play area and program space.
• Golay Community Center: $15,000 to repurpose existing, unused outdoor basketball courts into additional pickleball courts.
• Hayes Arboretum: $7,000 to install outdoor educational beehives.
• Indiana Women in Need Foundation: $2,800 for Wayne County Survivor Support Program.
• Neighborhood Health Center: $15,000 to further expand transportation assistance to patients, removing barriers to patients obtaining health care.
• Sunrise Therapeutic Riding Center: $7,500 to provide equine assisted therapy to low-income families for reduced costs.
• Western Wayne Schools: $22,000 to support Communities in Schools site coordinators in WWS.
• Women’s Workshop Richmond: $6,000 to provide funding for new workshop equipment.

Organizations submitted 28 requests for a total of $322,000 during Grant Cycle II, with 13 receiving a total of $139,550. Grant Cycle III opens Aug. 7.

Additional grants

Outside of Grant Cycle II, two organizations received mini grants for smaller projects, short-term programs, or unplanned opportunities requiring immediate funding.

• Open Arms Ministries received $1,500 to support the organization’s expansion and furnishing of additional office space at Central United Methodist Church.
• Safety Village of Wayne County received $4,000 to buy four picnic tables.

Additionally, the Town of Cambridge City received $7,000 to buy high-tech body cameras and software for its police department from the Roscoe “Ross” Jones Foundation Fund. Cambridge City Neighborhood Crime Watch recently concluded that campaign after raising more than $25,000.

Dalton Township’s trustee received $1,000 to serve individuals and families in that northwest area from Wayne County Cares Fund.